Loading apparatus.



M. H. BYRNE- LOADING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED 05c. 12, I914.

Patented June 29, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

i awe/"tor Witness THE NORRIS PETERS C0,, PHOmLlTHQ, WASHINGTON. D. 6.

M. H. BYRNE.

LOADING APPARATUS.

1,144,460. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 12, I914. PatentedJu-ne 29,

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- MHByr'ne/ wuneoou THE NORRIS PETERS CO, PHOTO-LITHQ, VAEIHIWGJ'ON. D C,

snares a raise.

I LOADING APPARATUS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MICHAEL H. BYRNE, a citizen of the United States, resldlng at Ashland, in the county. .of Ashland and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Loading Apparatus, of .which the following is a specification, reference being'had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain lmprovements in conveyers and has relation more particularly to a device of this general character especially designed and adapted for use in connection with logs or the like; and an object of the invention is to provide a device of this kind having novel and improved means whereby the logs or the like may be conveyed in substantially an automatic manner from their source of supply to a predetermined place of delivery.

Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to provide a novel and improved device of this general character adapted to discharge the logs or the like within a vehicle and provided with means whereby its discharge extremity may be readily adjusted relative to the vehicle and the load placed thereon.

The invention consists in. the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved conveyer whereby certain important advantages are attained and the devlce is rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient'and advantageous for use, all as will be hereinafter more fully set forth. I

The novel features of the invention will be carefully defined in the appended claim.

In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a view in side elevation, with certain parts in section, of a conveyer constructed in accordance with an embodiment of my invention; Fig.2 isa front elevational view of the device as disclosed in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view in top plan, with parts in section, of the means whereby an extremity of the conveyermay be raised or lowered; Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view illustrating a guiding Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 29, 1915.

Application filed December 12, 1914. Serial No. 876,901. b

means herein embodied; and Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view in side elevation of one of the chains herein included, and illustrating in detail the mounting of an engaging arm thereon.

As disclosed in the accompanying drawings, 1 denotes a supporting structure of any preferred arrangement and herein disclosed as positioned adjacent a water front and having disposed along its water side a shaft 2 with which is pivotally engaged through the medium of suitable yokes, as indicated at 3, in Fig.1, the elongated parallel beams B, the lower extremities whereof being tied or connected by the transversely disposed beam 4: adapted to rest upon suitable piling 5 whereby a support for the lower extremities of the beams B is aiforded. The beams B are also tied or connected one with the other adjacent their upper extremities by the transverse beam 6. The opposite extremities of the beams B have rotatably engaged therewith the transversely disposed shafts 7 provided with the sprockets 8 around which are disposed the endless chains 9, the lower stretches of such chains being disposed beneath the transverse beams 4 and 6 and each of such chains has coacting therewith an idler roller 10 engaging the lower stretch thereof in order to carry the slack of the chain. I wish to state that I desire to be understood as limiting myself to no particular form of idler 10 and I also wish to state that if preferred the same can be omitted.

At predetermined intervals therealong, each of the chains 9 is provided with the spaced links 11 and 12 having projecting outwardly therefrom the ears 14 and 15, respectively. Pivotally engaged with the ears 15 are the outstanding arms 16 having pivotally secured thereto adjacent their outer extremities the brace arms 17 which in turn are pivotally engaged with the cars 14. By this arrangement it will be readily perceived that the arms 16 are normally disposed and maintained at substantially right angles to the chain but are capable of unhampered travel around the sprockets 8.

The corresponding arms of the several chains are disposed in transverse alinement so that the logs which have been congregated adjacent the supporting structure 1 19, the adjacent extremities whereof being pivotally or hingedly connected, as at 20,

with the adjacent ends 21thereof disposedon such inclinations as to readily permit relative movementofgthe sections 18 and 19.

In order that theupper sections l9l-ofthe beams may be readily raised or lowered, I have pivotally engaged with the transverse beam 6, as indicated at 22, the threaded shafts 23fhaving operatively engaged therewith the sprocket wheels 24: whereby it will be readily perceived that upon requisite rotation of the sprockets, 24: the shafts 23 will vbe moved in a directiontoeither raise or lower the sections 19 of the beams B. This adjustment of the sections 19 is necessary in order to compensate forthe vertical increase of the load formed within the vehicle orthe like, itbeing understood that the sections 19 are in their lowermost position at the initial formation of the load in order that the logs or the like will drop a minimumofdistance in order to avoid undue shock being imparted to the vehicle. The sprockets 24: are operatively connected by a conventional sprocket chain 25 whereby .it will be perceivedvthat saidshafts 23 will be caused to rotate in unison and in the same general direction. \Vhile any means may be employed for imparting the requisite rotation to the shafts 23, I herein disclose the chain 25 as operatively engaged with a sprocket 26 fixed to avertically disposed shaft 27 coupled, as at 28, with a suitable source of power. Also coacting with the chain 25 and in close proximity to the sprocket 26 and engageable with the chain 25 at a side opposite to the sprocket 26 is the tension sprocket 29. I also find it of advantage to provide means whereby the beams B are held against undue lateral displacement and, as herein set forth, I accomplish this purpose through the medium of the upright 30 pivotally engaged, as at 31, with the supporting structure 1 and movable in a direction longitudinally of the beams B. The inner face of the upright 30 is provided with a track-way 32, herein disclosed as of T-shape in cross section, and with which is operatively engaged the slide 33 herein disclosed as substantially C-shape in cross section and coacting with the track-way 32 in a conventional manner. As herein embodied, the slide 33 is provided with an arm or extension 34 operatively engaged, as at effective reinforcing means is provided which serves to maintain the beams B against undue lateral movement but which at the same time does not interfere with the verticaladjustment of the beams.

The idler roller 10, hereinbefore referred 7'5 :to, isiloosely mountedon the shaft 37 driven from a suitable source of power and provided with a sprocket :38 around which is disposed a driving chain 39 which is also directediarouncba-sprocket 40 aflixed to the upper shaft 7 whereby it iwilllbe readily perceived'thatzthe requisite rotation may be impartedto said shaft :7 for properly operat ing :the chains 19. 7 As :herein disclosed, the stretches :of the chain 39 are i disposed at opposite sides of the transverse'beam 6 with the :upper stretch ioperatively engaged with a sprocket 41 fixed toan idler shaft 42supported bycertain of :the beams B and dis posed'transversely thereof. I also find it of advantage sto provide the transverse. beam 6 with a forwardly projecting arm 4C3 disposed in substantial parallelism with sthe beams :13 and terminating .in a. bearing A l for the uppermost shaft 7 and positioned in close :proximity to the sprocket 4.0 whereby said shaft 7 at its driveiconnection will possess-aimaximumof strength.

As herein set :forth, the beams B are of such-a length as to haveatheir lower extremities terminate below the water level so that the arms 16 will be caused to'operativelyengage the logs vor the like which have been properly fioatedintorelation withthe lower extremity of the beams 13 wherebyit will be 105 readily perceived that such logs or the like may be conveyed to a proper point of dischargeiin substantially an automatic manner.

From the foregoing description, it is 110 thought to be obvious-that a conveyer ,constructed in accordance'with my invention is of .an extremely simple and comparatively inexpensive nature and is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the conven- 115 ience and facility with which it -may be assembled, and it will also :be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification without material departure from the principles and spirit thereof and 120 for this reason I do not wish to be under stood aslimiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice;

Iclaim:

A device ofthecharacter described com prising a support, a frame capable of movementirelative to said support, a cross beam connetting the upper extremity of the 132 frame, means coacting with the cross beam In testimony whereof I hereunto aifix my for raising {1,11% lowering saidh upper i211- signature in the presence of two witnesses. tremit of t e rame an u ri t ivota y mountzd upon the support a d mov ble in a MICHAEL BYRNE' 5 direction longitudinally of the frame, and a Witnesses:

slidable connection between said upright and WM. F. SHEA, the adjacent extremity of the cross beam. ANNA O. LARSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

